Dry battery



Oct. 28, 1930. c. A. GILLINGHAM DRY BATTERY 3 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April26 1927 -INVENTORI FIG.3

Oct. 28, 1930. c. A. GILLINGHAM v 1977367 DY BATTERY Filed April 26,1927 5 Sheets-Shee 2 INVENTOR:

' BY y l f Mama Y l ATTORNEYS. f.

c. 28, 1930. CMA. GQLLINGHAM v1,779,767

DRY BATTERY Filed April 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 /ga I F IG. 7

Patented Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT` oFFlcE OHARI'IS A.GILLINGHAM, 0F LAKEWOOD, OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL OARBON COMPANY,INC., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK l DRY BATTERY Appu'caion yinea 'aprii-2s,

This invention relates to drybatteries and more particularly `to aunitary dry battery assembly for use in hand lanterns, miners lamps andthe like.

5,. Batteries for operating battery lamps and lanterns used by railwaymen, miners and others who require more or less contlnuous 1lluminationare usually made up of a plurality of cells. Generally, four cells areused. Such 10 lamps and lanterns are subjected to considl erable roughusage and as one ofthe consequences of such usage short-circuiting ofthe battery may result due to shifting of the cells within the batterycasing or to the shifting of the insulating strips used to separate thecells or to maintain the cell-connecting lead wires out of undesiredcontact with the metallic portions of the cells. In order to keep theconnecting lead wires out of undesired Contact with the electrodes ofthev individual cells, it has been proposed to embed the cells or atleast the upper portions thereof, in an insulating plastic composition,and this method is now commonly employed in producing high voltagebatteries used in radio communication.

The present invention has for an object the production of a lanternbattery assembly in which the cells are positively held against a0relative movement., A further object is to provide a new and improvedmeans for positively insulating the connecting lead wires from undesiredcontact with the cell electrodes. This feature of the invention is notconsidered as limited to lantern batteries and the like, but isconsidered applicable to other typesof multi-cell batteries, such forexample as those of the high 'voltage type above mentioned in whichplastic sealin material is now used Jf or accomplishing this purpose.Anotherl object of the invention is to provide means for properlyspacing the terminal i contacts and also to hold such contacts in such amanner that they cannetbe bent to a sharp angle thus maintaining them inproper position for making electrical contact with the terminals of theincandescentl lamp bulb of the llantern and also preventing breakage ofthe terminal contacts. A further object is to l provide means forprotecting the terminal 19,27.' Serial N0. 186,763.

contacts during shipment or handling prior to placing the battery inservice. The invention also comprises a new method ofbattery assembly.Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a side elevation of abattery assembly embodying ythe presentinvention;

A Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in plan taken on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3*-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the complete assembly. Y

Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthecell-spacing and insulating structurewith thelcells and the paper binding tape removed, and Y with the topand bottom cardboard sheets 70k out of contactl with` the centralcellspacing y structure but so situated as to indicate their relativepositions in the assembly.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the finished battery showing the assemblyfitted within a suitable insulating carton or container provided With aremovable flap adapted to pros tect the terminal contact strips yduringshipment vand handling before the battery is placed in service.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the nished battery showing the protectiveflap bent back out of its normal position so as to disclose moreclearlythe supplemental flapsl which fold over the top of the batteryassembly.

The battery assembly shown inthe drawing consists of four cylindricaldry cells 10, each positioned in one' of the four pockets orrecesses ofa centrallydisposed insulatin structure 11, and insulating sheets l2, 13an 90 14 held against the ends of the assembly by strips of gummed papertape 15 or similar iusulating strip material. The centrally disposedell-spacing structure 11 which is shown 1n Fig. 6 is lformed by sofitting to- 95'V` to lit closely about the contact strips to hold ingsI9 adapted to receive the terminal ends of the central carbon rodelectrodes of the respective cells. Smaller openings 21 are alsoprovided through which the cell connecting lead wires may be threaded.The cardboard lsheets 16 are each cut out at the bottom as shownat 22 toprovide a space for the reception of a spare lamp bulb. The bottom sheet14 is provided with a central opening 23 to permit of access to thestorage space referred to above. Terminal contacts 24, shown in thedrawing as resilient brass strips, are led lfrom the a propriate cellelectrodes through slits ,in t e insulating sheets 12 and 13. This,permits the sheet material where they may be relatively easil broken.

In assembling the battery, the ce l-spacing structure 11 is positioned'on the bottom 1nsulating sheet 14 and the cells 10 are posi-^ tioned inthe pockets of the structure 11. Lead Wires l25 are soldered to `theupper peripheral edge portions of the zinc cups of the respective cellseither at this stage of the assembling operation or before the cells areplaced in the assembly. Similarly, one of the terminal contact strips 24is soldered to thezinc'cup electrode of oneof the end cells in theseries. The insulating sheet 13 is next tted l over the assembly withthe exposed ends ofthe carbon rod electrodes, which car- .ry the. usualbrass caps 26, projecting' into the openings 19 and Withtheir uppeedgeportions .substantially Hush with the upper surface of the sheet 13. Atthe same time the free ends of the 'lead wires'25 are threaded throughthe openings 21. The free end of the terminal contact 24 above mentionedis also caused to pass through anaperture made in the sheet 13. The freeends of the lead wires 25 are thenl soldered to the brass caps of theappropriate electrodes of adjacent cells so as to connect the cellsinseries. At

.this point in the procedure, the other termi` nal contact strip 24 maybe lsoldered tothe brass cap of the other end cell of the series. Theupper insulating sheet 1 2 is-then placed on the assembly, the contactstrips 24 being caused to pass through slits therein so as to be closelyheld thereby at any desired angle. The insulating sheet member 12 isshown as provided with openings 27 corresponding with the openings 19 inthe sheet 13 to better accommodate the enlargement of the ends ofthecarbon terminals due to the soldering of the lead wires thereto. It isreadily apparent, however, that these openings Finally, strips ofgummed'paper tape are4 passed around the assembly from endto end to bindthe same into a unitary structure. Preferably, the assembly is subjectedto end- Wise pressure during the taping operation to insure that thecells and other elements of the assembly shall be held in close-fittingmore or less rigid relation to one another. The assembl is now ready forinsertion in a cardboar carton or similar container adaptedto insulatethe batteryfrom the metallic parts of the lantern and protect theassembly against moisture, etc.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown an improved cardboard carton or container 28with a com p leted battery assembly iitted therein. The carton isprovided with two fiaps 29 and 30 adapted to fold over the top of theassembly and provided, respectively, with slots 31 and 32 adaptedltoreceive the terminal contacts 24. The lapsJabove-mentioned are pressedldown into contact with the top of the battery assembly and caused toadhere thereto by a suitable adhesive, thus resenting a smooth,substantially unbroken surface and giving a neat appearance to thefinished battery. In order to protect the terminal contacts 24 againstshort-circuiting or damage during shipment and Ahandling prior toplacing the battery in service, a removable iap 33 is provided. This iapis integrally joined at 34 to one side wall of the carton and is adaptedto be bent over the top of the carton and held in place over thepro'ecting terminal contacts 24 during the perio prior to operationofthe battery by inserting an end portion 35 of the flap between theside wall and the enclosed battery assembly 'on the side opposite tothat wall of the carton to which the flap is attached as indicated at36. When the battery is -to be placed in use the flap 33 is torn oif at34 leaving the terminal contacts exposed for use but with the top of thebattery presentinga neat and finished appearance due to the closure ofthe end of the carton by the flaps 29 and 30 abovementioned. v

Various changes `in the i details of the method of assembling the cellsand also in details ofoconstruction may be made without departin fromthe scope of the invention which is in icated in the statement of theobjectsof the invention set forth above and in the ap ended claims.

at claimis:

1. A batter comprising a container, a,

unitary assem ly of cylindrical d cells1in said container with the cellsin upright position, a cover for said container conslsting of aplurality of iexible sheet members folded over the top of said assemblyand axed thereto, terminal contacts extending through the cover and asupplemental sheet member adapted to be folded over the top of thebattery and to enclose the projecting terminal contacts during theperiod prior to placing the battery in service and removable when thebattery is placed in use.

2. A battery assembly comprising a plurality of dry cells, sheetinsulating members therebetween, sheet insulating members at endsthereof, taping means extending therebetween, and adherent thereto,terminal members contained in one of said second mentioned sheetmembers, and a casingnember surrounding said assembly, and adherentthereto, having a detachable tab member v adapted to cover and protectsaid terminals.

3. A battery assembly comprising a plurality of dry cells, separatormeans therebetween comprising a plurality of sheets of insulatingmaterial, slotted for appropriate engagement at right angles, andnotched for the provisionof a clear storage space, and means for holdingthe assembly together, comprising perforated end members of sheet finsulating material and tape members ad;

herent thereto passin around said cells.

4. A battery assem ly comprising a plurality of dry cells, separatormeans therebetween comprising a plurality of sheets of insulatingmaterial, slotted forappropriate engagement at right angles, and notchedfor the provision ofa clear storage space, and means for holding theassembly together, comprising end members of sheet insulating material,tape members adherent thereto passing around saidcells, and a bottommember comprising a sheet of insulating material having an openingadapted to cooperate with the notches in said lirst-mentioned sheetmembers for the passage of objects thereinto.

In testimony whereof, I affix mysignature.

.VCHARLES A. GILLINGHAM.

